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Cardamom and Saffron Ice Cream

April 13, 2009

I am usually pretty excited when Mondays roll around. New week, new things happening, new people to meet and things to discover. It's never quite the same and I look forward to the things learned and observed. Except this Monday. It has been such a splendid weekend, I hardly want it to end. We did have an Easter egg hunt for the kids next door and an improvised picnic in the yard with the neighbors. It just filled me with joy, hope and laughter. An instant battery charger for the soul.

I am usually in charge of desserts when we get together but this time I only had ice cream ready. Actually, I could have cut tiny pieces of what was left of a chocolate coconut and mango cake I had made but that would have been like giving an elephant a thimble to drink from. (more on the cake this week). Instead, I brought down the container of Cardamom and Saffron Ice Cream I was saving for such warm and pleasant days.

If I had shown you the inside of the cabinets during Jen's Kitchen Tour series, it would have confused everybody. I have what B. called "kitchen bougeotte". (To have "la bougeotte" = to be fidgety). With my parents and almost all their sibblings born an raised abroad, there was no standard for cuisine types in the family. Wherever they were they would learn some local dishes and ultimately pass them on to us. Along with all the pots and pans specific to each culture. I realized the tour would quickly require a two-page extension if I included them and I could not subject you and Jen to that. It was long enough already!!

Being here in the States is close to cuisine paradise with some many different nations in one spot, so you can bet my "kitchen bougeotte" is greatly satisfied! I am under heavy French, Asian and Indian flavors. In the pantry, each culture tends to have a specific bin. There is however a couple of spices with their own prime real estate in the pantry. Cardamom and saffron.

I love, love, love cardamom. In baked goods, mousses, cakes, you name it I am there. I use green cardamom for baking while I keep black cardamom for savory dishes. I don't usually think of saffron when baking but I am pleasantly surprised each time I do. While I don't pretend to be fluent in Indian cooking, I do enjoy the knowledge and recipes from other bloggers out there. I also have the loveliest of friend who prepared this ice cream the last time I saw her and from the first spoonful, I knew I would have to make it at home....quickly! This ice cream made me week in the knees, literally.

No saffron was harmed during the photo shoot...it all went back in its jar. Now everybody can relax."

The flavors of this ice cream are reminiscent of kulfi although the method used here is a bit different than in traditional kulfi recipes. Oh trust me, next on my list is to get me a set of kulfi molds and to try Deeba's recipe...hmmm... Nothing could be simpler than this refreshing ice cream: cardamom infused cream, pinch of saffron and a handful of pistachios (check your sources given the recent news). Churn and dig...

In a large saucepan, stir together the cream, milk and sugar. On a flat surface, or with a mortar and pestle, gently crush the cardamom pods and add both seeds and pods to the cream mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let steep as it cools to room temperature. Refrigerate, preferably overnight.Once infused, strain the mixture and remove the crushed cardamom pods. Add a few threads of saffron and stir.Coarsely chop the pistachios and add them to the mix.Process the mixture into your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's intructions.No ice cream maker? No problem! Pour the cream into a freeze proof container and freeze for a couple of hours. Take it out and whip it with an electric mixer or immersion blender, freeze it again, whip it again....do that four or five times. The mixture won't be quite the same but pretty darn close.

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comments:

I have never heard of this before but it just sounds so warm in flavor and definitely yummmmmm for a hot day! If I make it though while it is still chilly here as the weather makes me wonder if warm will ever come well, it is just going to have to be that way! :)

Ma chere Helene,have you ever had Persian saffron ice cream? yummy yum. I'll have to make some on my blog sometime when I have more time and a little one who actually goes to sleep. This is lovely and I'm glad no saffron was harmed during that shoot. =)

What a lovely flavor combination, Helen! I've used cardamom in lots of savory preparations and rice pudding, but never thought of using it in an ice cream, although I'd seen it on many a menu. Yours is stunning and creamylicious to the eye. I only wish I could taste!

Ooh, and I have those spices sitting here! Looks refreshing (ahem, it's 29C here now-- higher in the morning) and delicious! I'm glad you kept the saffron when you were done with the shoot. Almost had a heart attack, lol :)

My stomach dropped when I saw saffron just casually scattered around - good thing you reassured us it was all returned :) I never think to use saffron in sweet things, but I've begun a love affair with green cardamom - so wonderful!

I never would have thought to add saffron! We make cardamom ginger ice cream a lot. (Cardamom is my favorite spice...mmm.) My husband was talking about my last batch and asked me to make it again soon. I'm adding saffron. Brilliant.

Well *I* think you should go dancing around the kitchen sprinkling saffron about as if it were rice at a wedding ;) ha ha ha! It's okay, we'll find something expensive and ridiculous to waste when you come visit me - right? And we'll take pictures and shock the hell out of your readers. ha ha ha... gah. I think you are brilliant. I love the combination. I don't have the guts to experiment as I'm pretty sure it would be a big FAIL. You rock it every time, hon.

I am a lover of cardamom, too, and have been straying off the beaten path with ice cream flavors in my tastes. This one sounds perfect since I can't get past your description of it making you "weak in the knees!"

It sounds absolutely divine. I've made saffron lemonade with cardamom pods in the past but never in the form of ice cream. I'll definitely give it a try. Oh and I love your little note at the end about saffron. You're right, it is SO expensive, better get every single saffron thread back in the jar hehe

Ice cream is my absolute favorite! I love the photo of the ice cream in the little pail. I've made saffron honey ice cream, and cardamom with candied kumquat but never the combination of saffron and cardamom. It sounds, and looks fantastic!

Sigh. I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd love to be your neighbour! The ice cream sounds and looks delicious. I love saffron too, even if it rarely features in the things I bake. Time to rectify that soon, I'm sure!

I am so excited about your recipe. It looks perfect. And, your photos are absolutely delicious!

I have had this combination of flavors at Persian restaurants, but with rose water added. I am especially eager to try your version, as I have a feeling I will prefer it. While I enjoy all of the ingredients individually, I felt the combination of rose water and saffron to be somewhat disharmonious - elementally. Or, at least in the versions I sampled.

Your work is spot on, as always, Helen. It is always such a delight to visit your exquisite blog.

Kitchen Flavours: this is my friend Bina's modified recipe. Deeba's is for the traditional kulfi recipe which I plan to make later. Just wanted to add that in case there was any confusion if you made it.

Almost fell off my chair Helen...thanks for the mention. Gosh, your ice-cream & settings look beautiful. My son would have been on his knees gathering those scattered bits of saffron. He's recently learnt in school that saffron is the worlds most expensive spice, & thinks his mother is VERY RICH coz she uses it! I hope the bubble doesn't burst! HAPPY SPRING!!

Looks delicious. I am a big fan of cardamom, too. I love the flavour of this fragrant spice in Scandinavian baking. I made some chocolate and cardamom hot cross buns for Easter. The combination was lovely. I am about to make some other Scandinavian bread this month now I have the taste back. :) You should try. My favourite is a Finnish bread called Pulla. Give it a go! If you like cardamom, you won't be disappointed. (P.S. Had the same trouble as 'Soulflower' re: your comcast email address....)

Mmm love the combo. I'm a big fan of cardamom in desserts (and savoury dishes for that matter), and have used saffron in cakes before so I can almost picture the two together. Will have to try this soon.